Presentation and interpretation of food intake data: Factors affecting comparability across studies

Non-uniform, unclear, or incomplete presentation of food intake data limits interpretation, usefulness, and comparisons across studies. In this contribution, we discuss factors affecting uniform reporting of food intake across studies. The amount of food eaten can be reported as mean portion size, number of servings or total amount of food consumed per day; the absolute intake value for the specific study depends on the denominator used because food intake data can be presented as per capita intake or for consumers only. To identify the foods mostly consumed, foods are reported and ranked according to total number of times consumed, number of consumers, total intake, or nutrient contribution by individual foods or food groups. Presentation of food intake data primarily depends on a study's aim; reported data thus often are not comparable across studies. Food intake data further depend on the dietary assessment methodology used and foods in the database consulted; and are influenced by the inherent limitations of all dietary assessments. Intake data can be presented as either single foods or as clearly defined food groups. Mixed dishes, reported as such or in terms of ingredients and items added during food preparation remain challenging. Comparable presentation of food consumption data is not always possible; presenting sufficient information will assist valid interpretation and optimal use of the presented data. A checklist was developed to strengthen the reporting of food intake data in science communication.     

Dietary Diversity and Vegetable and Fruit Consumption of Households in a Resource-Poor Peri-Urban South Africa Community Differ by Food Security Status

Sociodemographic, living standard measure, consumption of vegetables and fruit, and dietary diversity in relation to household food security were assessed. Using a hunger score, households were categorized as food secure (n = 125) or food insecure (n = 273). Food secure respondents had a higher mean dietary diversity score (3.98; 95%CI [3.79, 4.18] versus 3.65; 95% [CI 3.53, 3.77]), were more likely to eat vitamin A–rich foods (OR 1.15; 95% CI [1.05, 1.26]), a more varied diet (DDS ≥ 4, OR 1.90; 95% CI [1.19, 3.13]), and vegetables daily (OR 3.37; 95% CI [2.00, 5.76]). Cost limited daily vegetable/fruit consumption in food insecure households. Respondents with ≥ 8 years of schooling were more likely (OR 2.07; 95% CI [1.22, 3.53]) and households receiving social grants were less likely (OR 0.37; 95% CI [0.19, 0.72]) to be food secure. Results highlight the association between dietary diversity and household food security.     

Familial correlates of US preschooler physical activity

The preschool years set a precedent for lifelong habits integral to health. This research brief investigated how familial correlates within a household context, such as television use, BMI, and feeding practices, are related to child physical activity (CPA). Parents of preschoolers (N = 278, average age 40–76 months) completed survey measures of CPA, child and parent television use, BMI (height and weight), child control of feeding practices, and parental modeling of child feeding practices. From this sample, parents also had their preschoolers’ BMI percentiles calculated by a team of researchers, resulting in 247 complete parent-child pairs. Separate regression analyses revealed that child weekly television use and parent weekly television use predicted less CPA; however, when simultaneously controlling for child and parental correlates, only parent weekly television use predicted less CPA. Post-hoc analyses revealed an interaction between parent and child television use, such that parent-child pairs who reported higher weekly TV use reported less frequent CPA than parent-child pairs who reported lower weekly TV use. Across all regression models, child gender (i.e., female) also predicted less CPA. The discussion explores potential consequences of media familial correlates predicting CPA and parental strategies to encourage CPA.     

Taste alterations among patients with cancer

Patients with cancer frequently develop taste alterations, which are manifested by food aversions and decreased caloric intake. Many etiologies are recognized, including the effect of tumors, cancer cell mitosis, vitamin deficiencies, and cytokine involvement. Preventing or improving taste alterations in patients with cancer is challenging. Clinicians play an important role in assessing, educating, and referring (when indicated) patients experiencing potential or actual taste alterations. Directions for further nursing research include the development of assessment tools and preventative strategies.     

Painful blistered hands and feet

CAE is a self-limiting toxicity seen with several types of high-dose chemotherapy. Treatment of these patients requires pain management and supportive therapy, including wound care that promotes healing, comfort, mobility, and quality of life and prevents infection. Oncology nurses play an important role in monitoring patients for CAE and providing supportive care.     

A novel screening tool to predict severe acute malnutrition through automated monitoring of weight‐for‐age growth curves

Weight‐for‐age (WFA) growth faltering often precedes severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children, yet it is often missed during routine growth monitoring. Automated interpretation of WFA growth within electronic health records could expedite the identification of children at risk of SAM. This study aimed to develop an automated screening tool to predict SAM risk from WFA growth, and to determine its predictive ability compared with simple changes in weight or WFA z‐score. To develop the screening tool, South African child growth experts (n = 30) rated SAM risk on 100 WFA growth curves, which were then used to train an artificial neural network (ANN) to assess SAM risk from consecutive WFA z‐scores. The ANN was validated in 185 children under five (63 SAM cases; 122 controls) using diagnostic accuracy methodology. The ANN''s performance was compared with that of changes in weight or WFA z‐score. Even though experts'' SAM risk ratings of the WFA growth curves differed considerably, the ANN achieved a sensitivity of 73.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60.3; 83.4), specificity of 86.1% (95% CI: 78.6; 91.7) and receiver‐operating characteristic curve area of 0.795 (95% CI: 0.732; 0.859) during validation with real cases, outperforming changes in weight or WFA z‐scores. The ANN, as an automated screening tool, could markedly improve the identification of children at risk of SAM using routinely collected WFA growth information.     

Television use and family mealtimes among a sample of US families with preschoolers

Research has connected family mealtimes with nutrition, child development, and child academic performance. However, it is not clear how television is associated with the quality of family mealtimes, especially mealtime ritualization (MR), mealtime harmony (MH), and child food intake. Parents of preschoolers (N = 278, average age 40–76 months) completed questionnaire measures of television use, MR, MH, and dietary intake. Controlling familial demographics, television use during meals was a significant predictor of less MR and preschooler fruit and vegetable intake, but not of MH. Additionally, a three-way interaction between mealtime television use, MR, and MH visualized differing patterns of mean preschooler obesogenic food intake among families with low and high TV mealtime use. Discussion focuses on the importance of continuing to investigate the impact of screen media use on family mealtimes and other rituals related to child health.     

Resting Energy Expenditure and Related Factors in 6- to 9-Year-Old Southern African Children of Diverse Population Groups

Lower resting energy expenditure (REE) may partially explain the disproportionate prevalence of overweight/obesity among black African women. As no previous studies have investigated the REE of Southern African (South. Afr.) children, we aimed to determine, by sex and population group, the REE of 6- to 9-year-old urban school children. In a cross-sectional study with quota sampling, REE was measured with indirect calorimetry (IC). Confounders considered were: body composition (BC) (fat-free mass (FFM), FFM index, fat mass (FM), FM index), assessed using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, and physical activity (PA) measured with a pedometer. Multivariate regression was used to calculate REE adjusted for phenotypes (BC, z-scores of weight-for-age, height-for-age, body mass index-for-age) and PA. Sex and population differences in REE were determined with two-way ANOVA. Ninety-four healthy children (59.6% girls; 52.1% black) with similar socioeconomic status and PA opportunities participated. Despite BC variations, sex differences in REE were not significant (41 kcal/day; P = 0.375). The REE of black participants was lower than of white (146 kcal/day; P = 0.002). When adjusted for FFM and HFA z-score, the differences in REE declined but remained clinically meaningful at 91 kcal/day (P = 0.039) and 82 kcal/day (P = 0.108), respectively. We recommend the development of population-specific REE prediction equations for South. Afr. children.